Shock-absorber.



A. E. FOSTER,-JR- SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.10, 19M. LlLSW. Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- 26 swam COLUMBIA PMNOORAPH (20.. WASHINGTON. D c.

A. E. FOSTER, JR.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, I914.

LlLSU Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- COLUMBIA PLANDCIRAPH COuWASHINGTON. D. c.

Annnnn ros'rnn, JR, or oovlneron, nnnrnonv.

SHOCK-ABSORBER.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

Application filed November 10, 1314. Serial No. 871,358.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Annnn E. Fos'rnn, J12, citizen of the United States, residing at Covington, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shock-Absorbers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful consists essentially in a body yoke, a pair of.

oppositely arranged semi-elliptical springs, and a pair of levers which are pivoted intermediate their length in the yoke and are terminally connected to the vehicle chassis,

bein arran ed to bear with uniformit r against the terminals of the springs when the vehicle body is either moving toward or away from the axle.

Another and more general object of my invention is to design the spring with such regard to proportion, number and arrangement of parts that it will embody the essential features of simplicity, durability and efliciency, and will be capable of being manufactured at a relatively low cost, as well as being adapted for application to any standard form of automobile.

The above and other incidental objects of a similar nature, which will be hereinafter more specifically treated, are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and then more particularly pointed. out in the claims, which are appended hereto and form part of this ap plication.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein there has been illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention as it is reduced 'to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 1s a side elevation of the rear portion of an automoblle, showing my improved spring in operative assembled relation to the rear term nal of the chassis and the vehicle axle; Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the spring; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the de- Vice, illustrating the springs in the positions which they assume when the vehicle wheel is sub ected to an impact and moves upwardly toward the vehicle chassis; Fig. 1 is a side elevation, illustrating the manner in which the springs bear against the levers when they (the springs) are re-acting and are returning to normal position; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the combined supporting spring and shock absorber includes as its essential features of construction a body yoke A, a pair of lovers B and C, and a pair of oppositely disposed semi-elliptical springs D and E. The body yoke A is preferably formed from strap metal, and is substantially rectangular in shape, including as it does two relatively long, parallel vertical members 10 and 11, and upper and lower horizontal members 12 and 13. The members 10 and 11 and 12' and 13 may be formed integrally, if desired, or may be welded, riveted or otherwise properly secured to each other in any manner which may be found expedient and desirable. The levers B and C are also formed from metal and are relatively wide. These levers are formed of relatively wide bar metal sothat they will be able to withstand a maximum strain withoutbeing of undue weight. The members B and O are, as shown, pivoted intermediate their length 011 the pivot bolt or rod 14-, which connects the vertical members 10 and 11 of the body yoke A at their approximate central points. The two members B and C are so pivoted that the, forward terminal 15 of the outer lever 0 extends beyond the forward terminal 16 of the inner lever B, while the rear terminal 17 of the member B extends rearwardly of the terminal 18 of the member C. The purpose in thus arranging the two lovers B and C is to make possible the attachment of the rear terminal 17 of the inner lever B to the outwardly bent terminal portion 19 of the chassis frame member 20 by a shackle 21, and to further make possible the attachment of the forward terminal 15 of the outerleis'seeured by a pivot belt or pin 26 tothe member C. Spacingwashers, indicated at 27, may be interposed between the outer faces of the levers B and C and the members 10 and'11 of the body yoke A and be- ;tween the adjacent faces of the members B and O in order to properly space the levers from each other and from the sides of the yoke in the manner which will be clearly apparent when reference ishad to either Fig. 5 or 6. y

The spring members D and E are substantially similar in construction and desi n, each consisting of a number of spring 7 leaves, designated individually by the nuformed of metal or of composition.

meral 28. 'The leaves of the spring D, are arranged so that the shortest leaf is adjacent the horizontal portion 12 of the body yoke, while the longest leaf is, remote therefrom. The leaves of the spring E are similarly ar ranged with respect to each other, the shortest leaf being disposed in engagement with the horizontal portion 13 of the body yoke, a-ndthe longest leaf being disposed remote therefrom. It will thus beseen that the longest leaves of the springs D and E are arranged adjacent each other, and that the springs are in efiect oppositely arranged,-

for the concave face of each of the members D and E openstoward the center of the body yoke.

The terminal of each of the longest leaves of the two members D and E, which leaves will be hereinafter designated individually by the numerals 29 and 30, are terminally provided with'pairs of parallel apertured ears or lugs 31. Betweeneach pair of ear members 31 is journaled on a pin'o-r axle 32 a roller 33. These rollers 33 may be The rollers are, of course, designed to reduce to the lowest possible point the friction between the terminals of thesprings D and E and the edges of the levers B and C. It will now be apparent, upon reference particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, that the springs D and E normally tend by the engagement of their rollers 33 with'the upper and lower terminals of the levers B and C to hold these members in parallel relation to each other.

Inrattaching the combined vehicle body supporting spring and shock absorberto an automobile, the forward'and rear terminals respectively of the members C and B are attached to the chassis frame member 20 by the attaching bracket 22 and shackle 21. The body yoke A of the device is then properly secured to the housing 3.4; of the axle by a U-bolt 35, which member embraces the axle and passes through the lower spring E. Y From the foregoing description, and pan ticularly upon reference to Fig. 3, it will be apparent that, if the automobile wheel encounters an obstacle and tends to move upwardly toward the body of the vehicle, the two'levers B and Cwill be swung to move their respective forward and rear terminals upwardly and to move their respective rear and forward terminals downwardly. The terminals 16 and 18 of the respective members B and C will swing upwardly against the tension of the spring 1), while the terminals 15 and 17 of the respective members C and B will swing downwardly against the tension of the spring E. Thus the two springs D and E serve at all times to support the body of the automobile on the axle, and also act, when the wheel of the vehicle is subjected to an impact, to resist the movement of the vehicle axle upwardly toward the body. On the re-bound the springs D and E coact to return the two lovers B and C to normal parallel position and oll er equal resistance against the opposite terminals of the levers in preventing any undue separation of the axle and the body of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. at.

It is now to be observed that, whether the vehicle wheel is moving toward the vehicle body or is moving away from the vehicle body, such movement will be efiioiently resisted by the engagement of the lever terminals with. the springs D and E. It is to be further observed that, whether the vehiole axle is moving toward the body or away from the body, the action of the levers is to straighten the springs E and D in both cases.

In reduction to practice, it has been found that theform of this invention illustrated in the drawings, and referred to in the above description as the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of this device will necessarily vary, it is desirable to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a device of the character described, a pair of spring members, and a. pair of levers pivoted intermediate their length to a point located between the spring members, the terminals of the levers bearing against the terminals of the spring members.

2. A device of the character described including a yoke member, a pair of substantially elliptical springs secured thereto, levers pivoted in the yoke and having their terminals freely engaging the terminals of the springs, and means for freely connecting the opposite terminals of the levers to a vehicle body.

3. The combination with a vehicle, of a spring of the character described including a yoke member adapted to be attached to the vehicle axle, a pair of substantially elliptical springs secured to the yoke, levers pivoted in the yoke and having their terminal portions engaging freely against the terminals of the springs, and means freely connecting a terminal of each lever to the vehicle body.

a. The combination with a vehicle, of a spring of the character described including a substantially rectangular yoke adapted to be rigidly secured to the vehicle axle, a pair of substantially elliptical spring members secured to the yoke at the upper and lower terminals thereof, the spring being oppositely arranged with respect to each other, and a pair of levers pivoted intermediate their length at the approximate center of the yoke and having their terminals bearing freely against the terminals of the springs.

5. A device of the character described including a yoke member, a pair of levers pivoted intermediate their length at the approximate center of the yoke, the forward forward terminal of the other lever, and the rearward terminal of the second-mentioned lever extending beyond the rear terminal of the first-mentioned lever, spring members secured to the upper and lower terminals of the yoke and having their terminals bearing freely against the terminal portions of the levers, and means for pivotally securing the opposite terminals of the levers to a vehicle body.

6. A device of the character described including a yoke member, a pair of levers pivoted intermediate their length at the approximate center of the yoke, the forward terminal of one lever extending beyond the forward terminal of the other lever, and the rearward terminal of the second-mentioned lever extending beyond the rear terminal of the first-mentioned lever, spring members secured to the upper and lower terminals of the yoke, rollers journaled at each terminal of each spring member, said rollers bearing freely against the terminal portions of the levers, and means for pivotally securing the opposite terminals of the levers to a vehicle body.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ABNER E. FOSTER, JR. [1 s] Witnesses:

LILm T. ArrLneA'rE, LEWIS L. Manson.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

